Automobile signal



1,613,907 W. L. BALDWIN AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL Feb. 22,1927.l

Filed Dec. l. 1922 A TTU/MIE V8 tif:

Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

PATENT ePrice.

WALTER Lno Bannwin, or'isrrtaonsn, new aroma.A

AUTOMQBLE sisma Application filed December 1, 1922. Serial Nol 604,443.

My invention relatesto automobile signals and particularly relates to'the signal tornr ing the subject matter of my -United Statesapplication tiled August 2, 1922, ASerial Number 57 9,239, Patent Number1,511,100'. The former sional and the present one involves'a pointer eectromagnetically rcontrolled and the general object of the presentinvention is to provide 'automatic stop means normally tending to' holdthe pointer against turning movement but said stopbeing adapted to beVreleased by an electromagnetic'responsive device.

The nat-ure of the invention and its distinguishing features( andadvantages will more clearly appear as the description proceeds.

l `Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part otthis specilication, it being understood thatl the drawings 'are merelyillustrativeA of one example of the invention. y

- Figure 1 is an enlarged'tront view of the signal with the casingVremoyed to show the interior construction and arrangement, a

portion of the pointer being in section;

Figure 2 is a central transverse vertical section;

Figure 3 is a transverse section through the pointer at the pivotsthereof.

The signal assemblage ot atorenamed application includes a base adaptedto be suitably fastened by screws or the like to the top ot a tender. Asectional enclosing case is provided formed in practice in halt sections11, 12 and having glass or equivalent transparent front and back 13 sothat the signal is visible as viewed trom the Jfront or the rear. Thecasing sections 11, 12 are secured in the illustrated example by springplate fasteners 14 on one section adapted to engage studs 15 on theother casing section, said fasteners 14; being pivotally mounted as byrivets 16 so as to swing transverse to the plane ost the casing forfastening the sections or to fold in the plane of one section, 11, whenthe sections are untastened and removed.

()n the base 1() within the casing 11, 12 is a trame composed ot' innerand outer tlat rings 17 spaced at the bottom by an insulating block 18rigid with the base 10 and spaced at the sides and top by insulatingblocks 19.

An electromagnet 20 is provided of arcup -ate torni in the presentIinstance to conform to the casing 11., 12 and to the frame rings 17andbe received between said rings.

The terminals 21 of the magnet connect with conductor wires leadingthrough the block 18 and base. Between the trame rings or sections isprovidedv a stop signal lamp 22'. Transverse side bars 241 are'provid-edon the bloclfr` 18 from which rise standards 25 on the upper end ofwhich standards is pivotally mounted a pointer designated generally bythe numeral 26. Said pointer turns on pivot pins 27`V disposed laterallyinward toward each other at the upper ends ot' the standards 25. Thepointer 26 is equipped with an eleotromagnet 28,v and with an electriclamp 29 to illuminate the pointer. The front and back of the pointer 26is transparent, the

tr'anspvarentportion being given thet'orm of an arrow orfother suitableshape for indieating a turning to the right or lett according to thedirection in which the pointcr26 is swung under the influence ot thecoils 20, 28.

The abovementioned elements are part- Aof the signal disclosed in myatorenamed patent and as fully explained in said patent the magnets 20,28 andthe lamps 22, 29 are in an electric circuit which is controllableso that the current in magnet 2O is always unidirectional while thepolarity of the pointer magnet 28 is reversed Jfor the movement ot thepointer to the right or to the left. The parts referred to need nofurther description in view ot the disclosure in my previous applicationreferred to.

In accordance with the present invention the core of the magnet 28 hasthe terminal advantageously deflected laterally to lie adjacent to aside of the pointer' to prevent interference with the lamp 29, and Iprovide a stop means controllable by said magnet 28 and its coreterminal 50 Jfor which purpose a pin 51 is disposed for axial movement1n the pointer 26 adjacent the end having the lamp 29. The pin 51 hasahead 52 under the iniiuence of the terminal 50 when the magnet 28 isenergized. The point ot the pin` extends through a hole 511 in the endof the pointer 26 and is adapted to gravitationally assume a positionprojected beyond said hole 54 suiiiciently to dispose the pin betweenspaced stop members 53 whenever the pointer is in the neutral position.In practice when the circuit is closed to energize the pointer magnet 28it will attract the in 52 and withdraw the end of the pin from the pathAof the stops 53, so that the pointer may now oscillate freely under theaction of the magnets 20, 28. On the other hand when the magnet 28 iscle-energized and the pointer 26 gravitationally turns to the neutraiposition, the pin 51 will gravitate to the projected posit-ion forengagement by the stops 53 and thus accidental vibration of the pointer26 from the neutral position is prevented.

As fully shown and described in my aforenamed application the circuit tothe lamp 29 may be made as follows: In addition to the cross bars 24, onthe block 18 cross bars 6l are provided on said block at opposite sides.Rising 'from the cross bars 61 are standards 62 disposed at the innersides ont the standards 25 and terminating in eyes 63 concentric withthe pins 27 and insulated therefrom by a bushing 64. The eyes 63 eX-tend into eyes 65 on cross bars 66 on opposite sides of the pointer 26.Screws 67 pass through the laterally bent ends of the cross bars 66 tothe interior or' the pointer 26 and engage in conductor strips 68disposed on said pointer at the interior at opposite sides oi' the lamp29 in planes at right angles to the standards 62. Said conductor strips68 are connected with the lamp terminals 69. In order to insureelectrical connection between tlre bars 66 with their eyes 65 and thebars 62 with their eyes 63 suitably fasten to said bars 66 springs 100formed with eyes 101 concentric with and spaced from the pins 27, saideyes contacting with the eyes 63.

reisen? In ordei` to give the coil 20 a larger field to exert. astronger pull on the pointer 26 l provide on said pointer a strip 102which is passed onto the projecting end of the core of magnetv 28.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated exampleconstitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limitmyself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since,manfestly, the same can be considerably varied without departure fromthe spirit of the invention as deiined in the appended claim. l

Having thus described my invention, l claim A signal of the classdescribed including a frame, a pointer moimted to oscillat'e in saidframe, a magnet carried by the pointer in approximately the medial planethereof and formed with a terminal oiiset laterally and secured to theinside oi' the pointer, a pin mounted in the pointer and movablelongitudinally, said pin being in alinement with said offset end, andspaced stop members on said frame to engage the pin, said pin and saidmembers normally serving to prevent vibration of the pointer when in theneutral or non-signalling position, said 1nag net serving when energizedto withdraw said pin from a position to engage said members on theframe, the oliset terminal being so positioned to prevent interferencewith the lamp and its bulb.

WALTER LEO BALDVIN.

